DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

Civil Service Reform

Mark Oaten: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister when he will publish a bill on the reform of the civil service.

Christopher Leslie: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Lewes (Norman Baker) by the Prime Minister on 15 October 2001, Official Report, column 819W.

Government Bodies

Theresa May: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many Government bodies, broken down by Departments, next steps agencies and non-departmental public bodies, have been established in each of the last five years.

Christopher Leslie: Lists of central Government bodies are published regularly by the Cabinet Office. The "List of Ministerial Responsibilities" details Departments and next steps agencies and has been published at regular intervals since 1975. The specific statistics are not held in the form requested. "Public Bodies" lists non-departmental public bodies, NHS bodies, nationalised industries and certain public corporations and has been published annually since 1982. Copies of these publications are available from the Libraries of the House.

Departmental Spending

Pete Wishart: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will estimate total annual staff costs for his Department and its agencies by nation and region of the UK; and if he will make a statement.

Christopher Leslie: The estimated staff costs for the Cabinet Office by region and nation of the United Kingdom is set out in the table.
	
		£000 
		
			 Region/nation Staff costs(1) 
		
		
			 Scotland 69 
			 Wales 242 
			 Northern Ireland 0 
			 North East 7,309 
			 North West 10,179 
			 Yorkshire and Humberside 8,138 
			 West Midlands 7,171 
			 East Midlands 6,134 
			 Eastern Region 6,342 
			 South East 16,867 
			 South West 7,470 
			 London 70,995 
			  
			 Total 140,916 
		
	
	(1) Estimates for 2001–02

NORTHERN IRELAND

Departmental Staff

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will estimate total staff costs for his Department and its agencies by nation and region of the UK; and if he will make a statement.

Jane Kennedy: The total amount spent on staff costs for the Northern Ireland Office and its agencies for the 2000–01 financial year was £226 million. Included in this figure is £102 million for prison officer redundancy costs. The bulk of this expenditure was in Northern Ireland, with a small amount spent on costs for London-based staff.
	Details of NIO expenditure on staff are not recorded strictly by location and so an exact split between Northern Ireland and London cannot be given. However an estimated breakdown is that Northern Ireland accounts for £223 million and London accounts for £3 million.

Departmental Staff

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will estimate the number of staff employed by his Department by region and nation of the UK; and if he will make a statement.

Jane Kennedy: As at January 2001, based on full-time equivalents there were 1,359 staff from the Northern Ireland Civil Service (NICS) employed by the Department (including Civil Servants working in the Northern Ireland Prison Service) and 195 staff from the Home Civil Service (HCS). Of these 1,554 staff, 1,415 are based in Northern Ireland, 115 in London, and 24 on secondment.

Departmental Spending

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the total amount of spending by his Department was in each nation and region of the UK, in the last year for which figures are available; what proportion of his Department's total spending this constitutes; and if he will make a statement.

Jane Kennedy: The total expenditure by the Northern Ireland Office for the 2000–01 financial year was £1,149 million. The bulk of this expenditure was in Northern Ireland, with a small amount spent on costs for London-based offices.
	Details of NIO expenditure are not recorded strictly by location and so an exact split between Northern Ireland and London cannot be given. However an estimated breakdown is that Northern Ireland accounts for £1,145 million and London accounts for £4 million.

London Weighting

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will estimate the total value of London weightings and London living allowances for his Department; and if he will make a statement.

Jane Kennedy: The total value of London weightings and London living allowances for the Northern Ireland Office for the 2000–01 financial year was £242,500.

Civil Service

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many and what proportion of each civil service grade in his Department is located in each region and nation of the UK; what the average salary is for each grade; and if he will make a statement.

Jane Kennedy: The numbers and grades of staff and their average salary in the Northern Ireland Office as at January 2001, based on full-time equivalents, can be split as follows:
	
		
			 Grade Northern Ireland London Secondment Total Average salary (£) 
		
		
			 NICS  
			 SCS 23 1 0 24 57,741 
			 A 121 0 3 124 39,277 
			 B1 125 1 1 127 29,197 
			 B2 161 1 1 163 23,144 
			 C 373 4 2 379 17,497 
			 D1 318 0 2 320 13,038 
			 D2 213 1 1 215 9,937 
			 Industrials 7 0 0 7 10,104 
			  
			 Total1,359  
			   
			 HCS  
			 SCS 13 5 5 23 66,435 
			 A 8 13 1 22 36,126 
			 B1 3 7 2 12 26,816 
			 B2 0 25 0 25 21,422 
			 C 22 22 1 45 17,680 
			 D1 9 22 5 36 13,284 
			 D2 19 13 0 32 10,760 
			  
			 Total195

PRIME MINISTER

Downing Street

Graham Allen: To ask the Prime Minister 
	(1)  what internal reorganisation of staff has taken place in Downing street since June 2001; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  if he will publish the staffing structures and lines of account at No. 10 Downing street consequent upon changes announced since June.

Tony Blair: I announced a number of changes to my office in June designed to help achieve our commitment to the modernisation and reform in public services. These were outlined in a Downing street press notice dated 22 June 2001, a copy of which has been placed in the Library.
	Jonathan Powell remains my Chief of Staff. Alastair Campbell as Director of Communications and Strategy has responsibility for the press, strategic communications and research. Anji Hunter, head of Government Relations, is responsible for relations across Government, with the devolved Administrations, and some foreign Administrations.
	Within Downing street, Jeremy Heywood remains my Principal Private Secretary. He is responsible for the management and budget for all staff in No. 10 and leads the integrated Policy Directorate covering domestic policy which has been formed by the merger of the No. 10 Private Office and the Policy Unit. The European Adviser's Office is led by Sir Stephen Wall who is also head of the European Secretariat in the Cabinet Office, and the Foreign Policy Adviser's office is led by Sir David Manning who heads the Overseas and Defence Secretariat in the Cabinet Office.
	I have established a Delivery Unit based in the Cabinet Office which is headed by Michael Barber to help ensure that we achieve our priority objective across the four key areas of public service: health, education, crime and transport. He will report to me under the day to day supervision of the Minister for the Cabinet Office, Lord Macdonald. Wendy Thomson is heading the Office of Public Service Reform also based in the Cabinet Office which is looking at how the Government's commitment to radical reform of the civil service and public services can be taken forward. She will report to me through the Cabinet Secretary. Geoff Mulgan is leading the Forward Strategy Unit which will undertake strategy projects at my request, working very closely with the Performance and Innovation Unit in the Cabinet Office.

Downing Street

Graham Allen: To ask the Prime Minister if he will list the names and job titles of his personal, political and policy staffs at Downing street.

Tony Blair: My political office is staffed as follows:
	
		
			 Name Position 
		
		
			 Robert Hill Political Secretary 
			 Sally Dobson Assistant Political Secretary 
			 Razi Rahman Assistant Political Secretary 
			 Nita Clarke Assistant Political Secretary 
		
	
	Note:
	Plus five secretarial and administrative support staff, two of whom work on a part-time basis
	The staffing and associated costs for these staff are met by the Labour Party. As has been the case under successive Administrations, marginal costs associated with the political office are met from within the overall budget for 10 Downing street.
	In addition, Rachel Cowburn works from the political office in her role as liaison officer between the Government and the Labour Members of the European Parliament and is funded by them for this purpose.
	For information about my policy staff, I refer my hon. Friend to my previous answer to him today.

Correspondence

John Austin: To ask the Prime Minister when he will reply to the letter of 10 October from the hon. Member for Erith and Thamesmead regarding Palestine; if he will make a statement; and if he will place copies of the correspondence in the Library.

Tony Blair: I have received the letter from my hon. Friend and I shall reply shortly.

"Defeating Terrorism: Campaign Objectives"

Alex Salmond: To ask the Prime Minister when he plans to publish the document "Defeating Terrorism: Campaign Objectives"; and if he will make a statement.

Tony Blair: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary placed a copy of this document in the Library of the House on Tuesday 16 October.

Railtrack

Mark Oaten: To ask the Prime Minister what role was played by the Cabinet Office Delivery Unit in the placing of Railtrack into administration.

Tony Blair: None.

Social Policy

Tim Collins: To ask the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the roles in social policy of the (a) Social Exclusion Unit, (b) Policy Delivery Unit and (c) Downing Street Policy Unit.

Tony Blair: The Social Exclusion Unit is a cross-departmental Unit of civil servants and staff from outside Government that delivers policy projects on specific social exclusion issues. It is currently working on four policy projects: on reducing re-offending among ex-prisoners; young runaways; raising the educational attainment of children in care; and, transport and social exclusion. The Unit reports to me through the Deputy Prime Minister.
	For details about the Delivery Unit and the Downing Street Policy Directorate, I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Nottingham, North (Mr. Allen) today at column 1361W.

Civil Defence

Tim Collins: To ask the Prime Minister if he will institute a review of civil defence preparations in the light of the events of 11 September; and if he will publish a summary of its conclusions.

David Blunkett: holding answer 18 October 2001
	I am responding as the Minister responsible.
	As the Prime Minister told the House on 8 October 2001, Official Report, column 811, since the events of 11 September our civil defence arrangements have been under active scrutiny and review. Plans are in place to protect our key facilities and utilities. As Chair of the Civil Contingencies Committee, I have drawn together key Departments, the devolved Administrations, the police and the security service to drive this work forward. For reasons of security, the Government's contingency plans are not publicised but we will keep the House informed of any major development which concerns public safety and a number of Departments have already issued guidance to key individuals and organisations.

TRANSPORT, LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND THE REGIONS

Railtrack

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what measures will be put in place to manage national tracks and signals; when he expects to establish a new company to take over from Railtrack; and if he will make a statement.

David Jamieson: I refer the hon. Member to the Statement made to the House by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions on Monday 15 October 2001, Official Report, column 954.

West Coast Main Line

David Kidney: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what provision he has made in the Railway Administration Order in respect of Railtrack plc for the planned upgrades of the west coast main line.

David Jamieson: The Government remain committed to providing a revitalised rail network in the UK, and the west coast main line upgrade is an integral part of that commitment. Work on the west coast main line project will continue and we will be discussing with the Railway Administrator the best way of ensuring that the project is taken forward.

Departmental Properties

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will list the number, value and location of properties newly leased in each of the last five years by his Department, including and distinguishing between the Department itself, its next step agencies and its non-departmental public bodies, differentiating between purchases made as a result of the creation of new bodies and those purchases made by established bodies.

Stephen Byers: Since 1 April 1996, the Department and its Agencies have entered into leases on 225 properties. One hundred and eighty-nine of these added new properties to the DTLR portfolio and 36 were lease renewals. The total annual rental value of these leases is £12,151,310—new property accounts for £11,974,186 and renewed leases account for £177,124.
	All of these leases were taken by existing organisations, with the exception of the Rent Service. This became an Executive Agency on 1 October 1999 and all 59 of its existing properties transferred to DTLR in 1999, with newly assigned leases.
	We do not hold information on leases for DTLR non-departmental public bodies.
	I am placing a list of all leases acquired by DTLR in this period, together with breakdowns by agency and region, in the Libraries of the House.

Transport Safety

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions when he intends to publish a transport safety Bill.

David Jamieson: We shall publish in this parliamentary session our proposals to take forward those of Lord Cullen's recommendations which require primary legislation.

Incinerators

Jonathan Sayeed: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what plans the Government have to review planning policy guidance issued to councils regarding the siting of proposed new incinerators.

Sally Keeble: None. Comprehensive planning policy guidance is provided in Planning Policy Guidance note 10, 'Planning and Waste Management', which was issued in September 1999. It already provides advice about how the land use planning system should contribute to achieving sustainable waste management, through the careful siting of new waste management facilities including, where appropriate, incinerators.

Air Travel (Health Implications)

David Kidney: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what progress has been made in the stage 2 study into air travel and health.

David Jamieson: Stage 2 of the Government's study into air travel and health was completed in June and a copy of the consultants' report has been placed on the Department's website. We are actively considering how to implement its main recommendations. In particular, urgent consideration is being given to possible collaboration with the World Health Organisation's recently announced global study of deep vein thrombosis.

Rough Sleepers Unit

Mark Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how many staff are employed by the rough sleepers unit.

Sally Keeble: The rough sleepers unit is charged with delivering the Prime Minister's target to reduce the numbers of rough sleepers across England to as near zero as possible but by at least two thirds by 2002.
	The RSU is staffed by civil servants from across Whitehall, as well as outside experts from local government, the voluntary and private sector. There are currently 32 staff employed by the unit.
	The unit published its second progress report in the summer which shows the significant impact the "Coming in from the Cold" strategy has made. The number of people sleeping rough in England has fallen by 62 per cent. over the last three years. It is estimated that there are 703 people sleeping rough in England in 2001 compared with 1,850 in 1998.
	The unit is currently carrying out research and consulting organisations and individuals that impact on the strategy, with a view to developing a future strategy that will keep the number of rough sleepers as near to zero as possible.

Homelessness

Mark Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what targets his Department has for the reduction of homelessness.

Sally Keeble: My Department's Public Service Agreement target on rough sleeping is to reduce the number of people sleeping rough by two thirds by April 2002, compared with June 1998, and to keep the number at or below this level thereafter. The rough sleepers unit is responsible for meeting this target and had achieved a 62 per cent. reduction by June 2001.
	The recently established bed-and-breakfast unit's main objective is to reduce the use of bed-and-breakfast accommodation for homeless families with children. Once the unit has reviewed the current situation and is clear on base-lines, it will set clear and measurable targets.
	My Department has given a commitment to prepare a national homelessness strategy, which will set out action to tackle homelessness by central and local government as well as other key stakeholders in the housing and voluntary sectors. As part of consultation on this strategy, which ended on 19 October 2001, views were invited on possible homelessness targets in addition to those on rough sleeping and bed-and-breakfast accommodation. My Department is now evaluating the responses.

Airport Security

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what funding his Department has made available for research into improving airport security in the last year; what criteria are used to assess bids for such funding; how much has been allocated for the 2001–02 financial year; and if he will make a statement.

David Jamieson: In the current financial year, £1.67 million has been allocated for research into methods for improving transport security. A similar sum will be made available for the next financial year. In view of the recent events, research priorities have been reassessed and we are also considering whether additional expenditure this year and next could produce significant benefits.

Planning

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what plans he has to talk to the National Association of Local Councils about an enhanced role for parish and town councils in the planning process.

Sally Keeble: holding answer 18 October 2001
	The Rural White Paper (paragraph 12.3.2) noted that town and village councils could set out plans for their areas which could be endorsed in supplementary planning guidance. We will shortly be consulting on fundamental changes to the planning system.

Motor Vehicle Registration Numbers

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how many motor vehicle registration numbers remained unissued at 1 September in the series: (a) two letters, up to four digits, (b) three letters, up to three digits, (c) up to four digits, two letters, (d) up to three digits, three letters, (e) three letters, up to three digits, year suffix and (f) year prefix, up to three digits, three letters for (i) England, (ii) Scotland and (iii) Wales.

David Jamieson: holding answer 18 October 2001
	Approximate numbers of vehicle registration marks in categories (a) to (d) are as follows:
	(a) 49,000
	(b) 660,000
	(c) 4.9 million
	(d) 7.2 million.
	Exact figures cannot be provided as some marks from unissued series have been allocated periodically over the years, for instance to imported vehicles or made available through the DVLA sale of marks scheme. Information on the number of suffix or prefix combinations left unissued or details of the marks currently unassigned in England, Wales and Scotland is not available. It is estimated that there are hundreds of millions of such marks.

Sheltered Housing

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions 
	(1)  what assessment he has made of the role of scheme managers or wardens of sheltered housing schemes following the introduction of "supporting people";
	(2)  if he will make a statement on his Department's strategy towards "supporting people", with particular reference to its impact on sheltered housing.

Sally Keeble: Draft guidance that my Department has developed through consultation with all the major stakeholders, including sheltered housing providers, is due to be issued on 31 October.
	The Government are committed to supporting the independence of older people, both in their own homes, and in sheltered accommodation, if this is their choice. Local authorities are responsible for assessing housing and support needs in their local areas. Best value reviews of services to older people, and service level reviews of sheltered housing which receive "supporting people" grant, will together help local authorities ensure that sheltered housing provides high quality accommodation and support where it is needed most.

Housing Stock Transfer

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what recent discussions he has had with (a) the Local Government Association, and (b) representatives of smaller, district housing authorities, on housing stock transfer.

Sally Keeble: Ministers in the Department have not met those parties recently to discuss housing stock transfer. However, the Department's officials are willing to meet any authority which is considering stock transfer as a housing strategy option, and they keep in constant touch with those authorities already on the housing transfer programme.

Key Worker Housing Grant Scheme

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will list the bids he has received from bodies other than local authorities under the key worker housing grant scheme involving NHS staff; and for what amounts.

Sally Keeble: There was an excellent response to the invitation to submit bids for the £250 million Starter Home Initiative funding to help key workers in areas where high house prices are undermining recruitment and retention. More than 200 bids were received with a total value of £830 million. 175 of these bids, with a value of £580 million, were invited to proceed to the second stage of the bid process.
	The majority of bids were from registered social landlords, although a small number were from other organisations, including local authorities and private developers.
	My right hon. Friend announced on 6 September the allocation of £230 million of the funding for 95 schemes. The schemes will provide assistance to 8,000 key workers, including 4,000 NHS staff, to purchase their first homes.
	A further 2,000 key workers will be helped with interest free equity loans of £10,000 using the remaining £20 million of SHI funding. One thousand of these key workers are expected to be NHS staff.

Inverness-London Air Routes

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what plans he has to grant public service obligation orders for the Inverness-London air routes; and if he will make a statement.

David Jamieson: The DTLR recently received a proposal from the Scottish Executive outlining the case for the imposition of a public service obligation on the Inverness to London route. This proposal is currently being analysed by the DTLR, while taking the criteria set out in European Regulation 2408/92 into account.

Airline Safety

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what measures he is taking to secure the safety of passenger luggage on flights; and if he will make a statement.

David Jamieson: All hold baggage on international flights from UK airports is searched or screened before being loaded for flight. All hand baggage is searched or screened before it is taken into the restricted zone of an airport, and may be subjected to secondary search at the departure gate.

Blue Badges

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what measures are in place to prevent the abuse of the use of blue badges meant for disabled drivers; and if he will make a statement.

Sally Keeble: There is a wide variety of powers available to local authorities who administer the scheme for tackling the abuse of blue badges. I have placed in the Library a copy of our information sheet, which sets out the options. At present:
	it is an offence under section 117 of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 for the badge itself to be misused by a non-disabled person, the maximum fine on conviction being £1,000;
	local authorities have powers to withdraw a badge if the holder constantly misuses it or allows it to be misused by others;
	it is also an offence under section 47 of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 to park a vehicle which is not displaying a badge in a designated disabled persons' parking bay.
	The issues of abuse and enforcement are a major part of a review of the scheme that we are currently undertaking.
	In the meantime, it is, of course, open to anybody to bring instances of abuse to the attention of the police, traffic wardens or the appropriate local authority and we will continue to work with these bodies and stakeholder groups to minimise the potential for abuse and misuse.

Sheltered Accommodation

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if it will be his Department's policy to allow people living in sheltered accommodation to opt out of the care element in the service charge.

Sally Keeble: The "supporting people" programme, which starts in April 2003, will provide a new framework for planning and financing support services, including those provided in sheltered housing. Local authorities will administer the new programme, working in partnership with other agencies, service providers and those using or needing services. As part of this work, authorities will be expected to review existing services regularly and consider whether any changes should be made. Whether or not a particular sheltered housing scheme is provided on the basis that all the residents living there receive the same services will be entirely a matter for local decision.

DEFENCE

Royal Air Force

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which air squadrons are at less than 90 per cent. of full complement of (a) pilots and (b) navigators, indicating a percentage figure for each squadron.

Adam Ingram: The table sets out the overall snapshot position, by service, using wherever possible the early October data used in my answer of 15 October 2001, Official Report, column 942W. In some instances however, the information post-dates that information.
	The shortfall in aircrew is a well-recognised problem and the Ministry of Defence is taking a number of measures to tackle it.
	Indicating the level to which a squadron is manned in a snapshot in time using a percentage formula risks creating a misleading impression due to the small number of pilots that typically comprise a squadron. The loss or gain of a single pilot can alter the figure by up to 14 per cent.
	Furthermore, by providing separate figures for pilots and navigators, squadrons that did not register as being below 90 per cent. of a full complement in my previous response have sometimes done so in this one.
	
		Percentage 
		
			 Squadron Pilots Navigators 
		
		
			 Navy   
			 800 63 (2)— 
			 814 64 100 
			 824 53 65 
			 847 75 100 
			 899 82 (2)— 
			 Army   
			 652 88 (2)— 
			 653 74 (2)— 
			 659 74 (2)— 
			 661 85 (2)— 
		
	
	(2) Not applicable
	AAvn is currently undergoing major structural change as it migrates from its old Anti-Tank (Atk) establishment to its new Attack and Utility Aviation establishments. These squadrons might have been shown at full compliment, but for the requirement to under implement personnel in the front line in order to provide the transitional posts required to fill Apache.
	
		Royal Air Force
		
			   Percentage  
			 Squadron Pilots Navigators 
		
		
			 2 85 79 
			 5 75 81 
			 6 79 (3)— 
			 7 86 50 
			 9 86 79 
			 10(4) 74 79 
			 11 78 81 
			 12 88 77 
			 13 100 85 
			 14 85 100 
			 18 97 40 
			 22 66 (3)— 
			 24(5) 54 (3)— 
			 25 75 95 
			 28 86 67 
			 30 77 82 
			 31 79 77 
			 33 91 69 
			 41 87 (3)— 
			 43 88 82 
			 47 98 89 
			 70 94 86 
			 72 80 91 
			 111 82 89 
			 120 89 85 
			 617 79 80 
		
	
	(3) Not applicable
	(4) Shortages will continue until fleet out of service. Operational output is met by using navigators who normally undertake the training of junior aircrew
	(5) 24 Squadron is first C-130J Squadron currently training initial crew and will be manned at 100 per cent. by mid 2002 as programmed

Non-Lethal Weapons

Kevin McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will place in the Library a text of the Master Information Exchange Memorandum on Non-Lethal Weapons Systems agreement and the annexe reference UK-RN-N-97–57951 signed on 2 February 1998.

Adam Ingram: The Master Information Exchange Memorandum (MIEM) on Non-Lethal Weapons Systems is an agreement jointly owned with the US Department of Defence. The Ministry of Defence does not make such agreements between nations publicly available. I am therefore withholding disclosure of this information under exemption 1 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.

Gurkhas

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to recruit more Gurkhas.

Adam Ingram: There is a requirement to recruit 230 Gurkhas per year to maintain present force levels. There are no plans to increase this force level in the future.

Tornado Aircraft

Menzies Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many (a) Tornado GR1, (b) Tornado GR4 and (c) Tornado F3 in Oman for Saif Sareea II are (i) fully serviceable, (ii) undergoing first line maintenance, (iii) undergoing second line maintenance and (iv) undergoing third and fourth line maintenance; and if he will make a statement.

Geoff Hoon: holding answer 18 October 2001
	The operational serviceability of frontline aircraft will vary from hour to hour. Overall, the Tornado fleet deployed on exercise Saif Sareea has performed fully in line with expectations, despite the testing environmental conditions.
	As of 17 October, nine of the 12 Tornado GR4s and 11 of the 12 Tornado F3s were fully serviceable. One Tornado GR4a is awaiting return to the UK. The balance of the Tornado force is undergoing first line maintenance and is expected to return to full serviceability shortly.
	There are no Tornado GR1 aircraft deployed on exercise Saif Sareea.

Tornado Aircraft

Menzies Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many (a) Tornado GR1, (b) Tornado GR4 and (c) Tornado F3 are in Oman for Saif Sareea II; and if he will make a statement.

Geoff Hoon: holding answer 18 October 2001
	There are 13 Tornado GR4 and 12 Tornado F3 aircraft in Oman for Exercise Saif Sareea II. These aircraft are making an important contribution to the exercise. No Tornado GR1 aircraft are deployed.

Tornado Aircraft

Menzies Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many missions have been flown by (a) Tornado GR1s, (b) Tornado GR4s and (c) Tornado F3s as part of Saif Sareea II to date; how many missions which have involved (i) Tornado GR1s, (ii) Tornado GR4s and (iii) Tornado F3s as part of Saif Sareea II have been (1) cancelled and (2) reduced due to (A) serviceability shortfalls and (B) technical malfunctions in the aircraft; and if he will make a statement.

Geoff Hoon: holding answer 18 October 2001
	There are no Tornado GR1 aircraft deployed on Exercise Saif Sareea II. The Tornado GR4, GR4a and F3 aircraft deployed have, despite the very demanding environmental conditions, performed fully in line with expectations and have made a full and effective contribution to the exercise.
	Details correct up to 16 October are set out in the table.
	
		
			 Missions Tornado GR4/4a Tornado F3 
		
		
			 Planned 271 208 
			 Flown 209 191 
			 Cancelled for serviceability 28 11 
			 Cancelled for technical reasons 30 6 
			 Reduced for serviceability 10 20 
			 Reduced for technical reasons 4 19

Child Support Agency

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what proposals he has to introduce attachment of earnings orders from the Child Support Agency to serving and other personnel employed by his Department.

Adam Ingram: Under child support legislation, the Child Support Agency is able to request that the Ministry of Defence (MOD) implement deductions from the pay of both service and civilian personnel to meet child support maintenance payments. In the case of service personnel these are known as Deductions of Earnings Requests. These are effectively the same as Attachment of Earnings Orders which the Child Support Agency uses to obtain payment from 'non-resident parents' within the population at large, including MOD civil servants.
	From the introduction of the legislation in 1993 it has been the MOD's policy to comply with all such requests, other than in exceptional circumstances. The MOD maintains a Memorandum of Understanding with the Child Support Agency which details the administrative procedures to be followed by both Departments when contacting service personnel. A copy is held in the Library of the House.

Afghanistan

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  how many service personnel from Moray are involved in the Afghanistan conflict; and how many of these are based outwith the UK;
	(2)  how many Scottish service men and women are serving in the UK defence forces in the Afghanistan conflict.

Geoff Hoon: This information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Cluster Bombs

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his policy is on the use of cluster bombs.

Adam Ingram: Cluster bombs are a legitimate weapon that provide a capability against certain targets which cannot be effectively achieved in other ways. We reserve the right to use the most suitable lawful weapon available in the proportionate manner required by international law.

Armed Forces (Pensions)

Desmond Swayne: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many proposals for additional life cover under the PAX+ Scheme have been completed but are not now on risk as a consequence of AIG's decision to discontinue new cover as of 21 September.

Adam Ingram: The PAX Scheme (formerly known as PAX+) is facilitated by MOD and provides both personal accident and life cover for armed forces personnel. Life cover is available only to those who first take out PAX personal accident cover. PAX's underwriters—AIG Europe (UK)—closed PAX to new applicants from 21 September. However, details of the number of proposals for new or increased PAX life cover which were completed on or after this date, and, as a consequence, could not be taken on risk are not currently available.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

Renewable Energy

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what additional measures she proposes to promote the construction of (a) wave, (b) solar, (c) hydro electric, (d) wind and (e) other renewable energy sources.

Brian Wilson: The Department is taking a wide range of measures to promote the construction and development of renewable energy sources. The new Renewables Obligation and associated Renewables Obligation Scotland will oblige all licensed electricity suppliers in Great Britain to supply a specified and growing proportion of their electricity from renewable sources. The obligation will create a long-term market for renewables which will be worth over £1 billion per year by 2010.
	The obligation will be the main mechanism through which we meet our renewables targets, and will be underpinned by direct Government funding worth over £260 million between 2001 and 2004. This will support a number of measures including my Department's £55.5 million R&D programme, and an extensive capital grants programme. An announcement will be made shortly on the detailed allocation of the £100 million for renewables announced by the Prime Minister in March this year.
	(a) Wave: it was recently announced that my Department is providing further support to bring our funding for Wavegen's latest wave energy project to almost £1.67 million. This funding will assist with the further development of their new offshore wave energy concept and the construction and testing at sea of a prototype. This substantial funding confirms the Government's commitment to their new wave energy programme.
	(b) Solar: in February this year in the Enterprise, Skills and Innovation White Paper, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry announced a major PV demonstration programme. The Department is giving £10 million to the first phase of this programme. The focus of this programme will be on social housing as well as public buildings. Meanwhile we have had two rounds of our Domestic PV Field Trial with a budget of £4 million.
	(c) Hydro Electric power generation has played an important part in our overall renewables policy and will continue to do so. My recent announcement that refurbished hydro between 10 and 20 MW will qualify for the obligation is expected to lead to refurbishment of 30 hydroelectric stations and to company investment of over £250 million. This source of electricity will also benefit from the fact that all newly built hydroelectric stations, regardless of size, will receive support from the obligation.
	(d) Offshore wind will benefit from a programme of capital grants worth at least £49 million. This will support early deployment of a number of demonstration projects and will provide a bank of knowledge and expertise to maximise the contribution of these two technologies to the UK's 10 per cent. target. We have also recently consulted on the offshore consents process, and plan to bring forward a new "one-stop-shop" approach which should make it easier for project developers to get their projects up and running.
	(e) These and other resources could also benefit substantially from the £100 million announced by the Prime Minister earlier this year. In addition, in England, £12 million is available from DEFRA for energy crop planting grants, while the New Opportunities Fund has set aside at least £33 million for capital grants for this technology on a UK-wide basis. At least £3 million will be available to support small scale biomass heat projects. The obligation and associated funding will also support deployment of other renewables resources such as tidal power, and the advanced technologies of gasification, pyrolysis and anaerobic digestion.

Broadband Telecommunications

Graham Allen: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on the pricing structure for broadband used by BT and the cable companies.

Douglas Alexander: British Telecom and the cable companies set broadband prices on a commercial basis. As I have already made clear, they need to be driving these prices down, and demand up, so that more consumers have the opportunity to benefit from fast, always-on, access to the internet. Equally, prices must be set at fair levels. The Director General of Telecommunications has powers under the Competition Act 1998 to act where any company has entered into an anti-competitive agreement or is abusing a dominant position. He also has powers to take action if any licensed operator is not acting in accordance with the terms of its licence.

Broadband Telecommunications

Graham Allen: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent discussions she has had with BT about introducing broadband; and if she will make a statement.

Douglas Alexander: Ministers and officials meet BT regularly to discuss BT's role in introducing broadband services across the UK. 60 per cent. of UK households are now connected to a BT ADSL enabled exchange. This represents a significant investment by BT in broadband Britain. I have recently challenged BT to do more to exploit this investment more aggressively so that the benefits of broadband are spread to as wide a market as possible.

Broadband Telecommunications

Graham Allen: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what comparable figures for broadband connection she has collated for the United Kingdom's G9 partners.

Douglas Alexander: As set out in 'UK Online: the broadband future', published in February 2001, international comparisons on broadband are patchy; however, in this strategy document the Office of the E-Envoy committed to undertaking a rolling programme of research.
	In addition, the Office of Telecommunications (Oftel) published in January 2001 its report on international benchmarking of DSL and cable modem services. This compared the market for these technologies in the UK with that of France, Germany and the US. The study highlights that reliable and consistent data for all the G8 countries are difficult to obtain. However, Oftel will continue this programme of international benchmarking of broadband prices and roll-out.
	I am aware that a forthcoming OECD study of the development of broadband access will compare, among other things, the levels of connection in OECD members, which include the G7 countries.

Broadband Telecommunications

Graham Allen: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what percentage of the United Kingdom has access to broadband; and what forecasts she has made for its future introduction.

Douglas Alexander: Availability of broadband services via cable, ADSL or wireless technology stands at around 66 per cent. of consumers and small businesses. The Government, in partnership with industry, are taking a number of measures in order to make the broadband market more extensive and competitive, building on the recent progress in advancing access across the country. However, the broadband market is at an early stage, and any forecasts are liable to be speculative.

Post Office Closures

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many (a) post offices and (b) sub-post offices closed in each of the last 10 years in (i) total and (ii) Greater London.

Douglas Alexander: holding answer 16 October 2001
	The information requested on total net closures is set out in the table. I understand from the Post Office that historic data on the post office network before the year ending March 2001 are not held on regional basis. For the year ending March 2001, there were 10 net closures in the London region.
	
		
			 As at 31 March Crown offices Sub-post offices Total Closures in year 
		
		
			 1990 1,339 19,532 20,871 159 
			 1991 1,167 19,471 20,638 233 
			 1992 1,019 19,141 20,160 478 
			 1993 917 19,041 19,958 202 
			 1994 800 18,982 19,782 176 
			 1995 699 18,908 19,607 175 
			 1996 653 18,761 19,414 193 
			 1997 606 18,645 19,251 163 
			 1998 601 18,407 19,008 243 
			 1999 600 18,175 18,775 233 
			 2000 598 17,795 18,393 382 
			 2001 597 17,249 17,846 547 
		
	
	I am informed by the Post Office that of the closures of the year ending March 2001, the Post Office designate only four as permanent.

Post Office Closures

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many post offices have closed down in (a) 1997, (b) 1998, (c) 1999, (d) 2000 and (e) 2001.

Douglas Alexander: holding answer 15 October 2001
	Net closures of post offices in the years 1997 to 2001 were as follows:
	
		
			 Year ending March  Number 
		
		
			 1997 163 
			 1998 243 
			 1999 233 
			 2000 382 
			 2001 547 
		
	
	I am informed by the Post Office that of the closures of the year ending March 2001, the Post Office designate only four as permanent.

Intellectual Property Rights

Brian Cotter: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment she has made of the research commissioned by the Patent Office and conducted by Mori into public attitudes towards intellectual property rights; and what action her Department will take to safeguard those rights based upon the results of this research.

Melanie Johnson: The Mori research showed that long-term and sustainable action to improve public perceptions is needed and messages are more likely to be understood by the public if they can see the direct impact on them. The work the Department had already commenced, based on these approaches, is therefore continuing. Introducing school children to intellectual property concepts, improving the information available to creators and users of intellectual property and campaigning to highlight the consumer as well as business detriment where counterfeiting and piracy occurs are all key areas.

Local Business Partnerships

Brian Cotter: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many local business partnerships are operating in the United Kingdom.

Nigel Griffiths: There are 101 local business partnerships. They help local authorities and small businesses work together to achieve effective local regulation and reduce administrative burdens on small businesses.

Sparkling Wines

Paul Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations she has had from UK industry with regard to the abolition of the imperial pint measurement for sparkling wines; and if she will make a statement.

Melanie Johnson: holding answer 18 October 2001
	I have received no representations asking for the pint to be permitted for sparkling wines.

Boardroom Pay

Vernon Coaker: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she has reached a decision on how to improve accountability on boardroom pay.

Patricia Hewitt: The Government believe that it is important that directors are seen to be accountable to shareholders. Dialogue between directors and shareholders on remuneration issues is more likely to be effective if underpinned by a framework that ensures that shareholders can vote on directors' remuneration. Equally, it is clear that despite the actions of many well intentioned institutional investors, many quoted companies have failed to respond adequately to the best practice recommendations on accountability to shareholders and performance linkage. The Government will therefore introduce secondary legislation to require quoted companies to put forward a resolution to shareholders on the directors' remuneration report every year. This will complement the Government's earlier announcement that it will legislate to strengthen the disclosure requirements in this area, particularly with regard to the linkage between pay and performance.

HEALTH

Digital Hearing Aids

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to grant free access to digital hearing aids to people hard of hearing; and if he will make a statement.

Jacqui Smith: Twenty national health service trusts in England have been fitting digital hearing aids for NHS patients since October 2000, as part of the Department's "modernising NHS hearing aid services" project. The project also includes increased investment in information technology, equipment and modernised patient processes. The Institute of Hearing Research is evaluating the project and its findings will help determine how changes in hearing aid services might be extended to all NHS audiology departments.
	In the meantime all NHS trusts with the staff, training, equipment and experience necessary to fit digital hearing aids, are able to apply for access to the NHS Purchasing and Supply Agency (PASA) contract for digital hearing aids. Twenty five trusts have been given access to the contract allowing them to fit digital aids for patients outside the project.

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

Communications

Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will publish the terms of reference given to Towers Perrin in relation to the development of the draft Communications Bill.

Kim Howells: holding answer 13 July 2001
	A Steering Group, drawn from the five existing regulators and officials from my Department and the Department of Trade and Industry, is advising the Government on the practical steps required to create Ofcom. Towers Perrin is assisting in this work to:
	provide a clear overall view of the functions, processes, structures and resources in each of the existing regulators;
	assess the options for Ofcom under each of these four headings;
	propose criteria for evaluating these options; and
	set out a clear timetable for the stages of work that will need to be carried out in order to get from where we are now to a fully functioning Ofcom in 2003.
	The report was published on 12 October 2001 and copies have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

Communications

Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what steps she will take to ensure that the consumers panel envisaged in the Communications White Paper will be representative of consumer opinion.

Kim Howells: holding answer 13 July 2001
	Detailed provisions for the Consumer Panel will be included in the draft Communications Bill we shall be publishing later in the current Session. The White Paper makes it clear that the panel will have a remit to research consumer views and concerns, and will be able to decide its own research objectives. The panel will also have an explicit obligation to take due account of the views of consumers with special needs, including those on low incomes or with disabilities. These will be important elements in ensuring that the Panel's advice to Ofcom takes full account of all shades of consumer experience and opinion.

World Athletics Championships

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what actions the Government have taken to maintain the United Kingdom's bid for the 2005 World Athletics Championships.

Richard Caborn: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State to the hon. Member for South Suffolk (Mr. Yeo) on 15 October 2001, Official Report, column 815W.

World Athletics Championships

Jacqui Lait: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what reasons underlay the rejection of the Crystal Palace athletics complex as the officially recommended venue for the world athletics championship to be based in London.

Richard Caborn: Patrick Carter's review of the Picketts Lock project commissioned by Sport England looked at a number of alternative venues for staging the world athletics championships in 2005, including Crystal Palace. Mr. Carter concluded that Crystal Palace was not a viable alternative venue for the 2005 championships due to the range of significant risks in delivering the necessary improvements to the stadium, athletes' accommodation and transport infrastructure.

World Athletics Championships

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will make a statement on the use of the Commonwealth Stadium in Manchester for the world athletics championships.

Richard Caborn: Patrick Carter's review of the Picketts Lock project commissioned by Sport England looked at a number of alternative venues for staging the world athletics championships in 2005. Following receipt of Patrick Carter's report, DCMS and Sport England officials initiated discussions with representatives of Manchester city council and Sheffield city council. The other alternative venues considered by Patrick Carter either offered no certainty of being delivered on time or no significantly lesser risk or cost than Picketts Lock.
	The Government are grateful to Manchester and Sheffield city councils for their assistance in this process. It was clear that both cities would be suitable for staging the championships. However the costs of delaying the reconfiguration of the City of Manchester Stadium into football mode and the costs of compensation to Manchester city council and Manchester City football club would have exceeded the costs of improving the existing Don Valley Stadium in Sheffield.

World Athletics Championships

Andy Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what estimate she made of the on-going revenue cost of Picketts Lock; and if she will make a statement.

Richard Caborn: Patrick Carter's review of the Picketts Lock project commissioned by Sport England included an assessment that the Picketts Lock centre would run at an annual deficit of between £1 million and £1.5 million. Patrick Carter's report is available from the Sport England website on www.sportengland.org.uk.

World Athletics Championships

Andy Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport 
	(1)  what discussions were held with the International Association of Athletics Federations at Edmonton about the Picketts Lock athletics project;
	(2)  if she will list the meetings held by her Department with the International Association of Athletics Federation officials in Edmonton during the World Athletics Championships.

Richard Caborn: I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State to the hon. Member for South Suffolk (Mr. Yeo) on 15 October, Official Report, column 815W.

Property Leases

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will list the number, value and location of properties newly leased in each of the last five years by her Department, broken down by those leased by the Department itself, its next step agencies and its non-departmental public bodies, differentiating between purchases made as a result of the creation of new bodies and those purchases made by established bodies.

Kim Howells: During the period 1996 to 2001 the Department has taken new leases in respect of only two properties namely:
	179a Tottenham Court road, London, to re-house the Government Art Collection, leased from 1 May 1999 for a period of 15 years at an annual rent of £408, 063 subject to five-yearly rent reviews.
	1 Cockspur Street, London, to re-house Departmental staff and accommodate expansion. Leased from 17 January 2000 for a period of 13 years at an annual rent of £465, 451 subject to five-yearly rent reviews.
	The Department has over 50 non-departmental public bodies and, in common with many other central Government Departments does not hold centrally the details of the estates of those bodies with independent land holding powers. Collection of this information from NDPBs would incur a disproportionate cost. However, a database of these properties is being compiled, entitled E-PIMS (Electronic Property Information and Management System).

Olympic Games

John Greenway: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport 
	(1)  what plans she has to meet representatives of the British Olympic Association to discuss the 2012 Olympic games;
	(2)  what assessment she has made of the prospects for success of a UK bid to host the 2012 Olympic games.

Richard Caborn: The British Olympic Association has yet to decide whether or not to bid for the Olympics in 2012, 2016 or later. The Government remain committed to supporting a viable Olympic bid. My officials are discussing the terms of a research consultancy with the BOA, Greater London Authority and the London Development Agency which will aim to obtain the evidence required to enable the Government to make a proper assessment whether such a bid, if made, is viable.

Tennis

John Greenway: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what plans she has to meet representatives of the Lawn Tennis Association to discuss the future governance of the sport.

Richard Caborn: I met John Crowther and representatives of the Lawn Tennis Association on 5 September. We had a useful discussion about club structure and the LTA's programmes and initiatives.

Licensing Laws

Annabelle Ewing: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if, as part of her review of licensing laws in England, she has made an assessment of the comparative licensing regulations in (a) Westminster, (b) Edinburgh, (c) Cardiff and (d) Belfast.

Kim Howells: The review of the alcohol and public entertainment licensing laws in England and Wales was conducted by the Home Office between 1997 and 1999. Although no formal comparative analysis was conducted, the review included consideration of the licensing regimes operating in Scotland and Northern Ireland as well as those operating in many other countries. At the conclusion of the review, the Government decided that new and entirely unique licensing arrangements were required to meet the demands of the 21st Century in England and Wales. On 10 April 2000, the White Paper "Time for Reform: Proposals for the Modernisation of Our Licensing Laws (CM 4696)", was published and copies are available in the Library of the House. It sets out our proposals for reform and we intend to bring forward legislation to implement them as soon as parliamentary time permits.

National Stadium

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will place in the Library a copy of the report of the Task Force on the National Stadium.

John Greenway: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport 
	(1)  what plans she has to make a statement on the future of Wembley stadium;
	(2)  what plans she has to meet representatives of the Football Association to discuss the Wembley project.

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport 
	(1)  if she will make a statement on the Wembley project;
	(2)  if she will make a statement on the proposals for a new National Stadium for football and rugby league.

Richard Caborn: Patrick Carter is currently continuing discussions with the Football Association on the future of the National Stadium project arising from the conclusions of his review of that project. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State will make an announcement on the extent of any future Government role in that project once those discussions have concluded and she has discussed the issue further with both Sport England and the Football Association.
	The Government have no current plans to publish Patrick Carter's report on the National Stadium as this would compromise the discussions that Patrick Carter is currently having with the Football Association.

Rugby

Andy Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what discussions she has had with the Rugby Football Union to facilitate the Australian RFU's tour during the autumn.

Richard Caborn: Neither I nor my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State have had any direct contact with the RFU on this issue.

Gaming Machines

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what plans she has to prevent the use of jackpot machines in private members' clubs; and if she will make a statement.

Richard Caborn: The report of the Gambling Review Body (CM 5206) included a recommendation that the law should be changed so that members' clubs which were not casinos or bingo clubs would no longer be allowed to install jackpot gaming machines. We are undertaking public consultations on all the proposals in the report, and will not reach decisions until we have considered all the points made.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Women's Rights (Jordan)

Oona King: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations he has made to the Jordanian Government about human rights abuses relating to women.

Ben Bradshaw: The UK has an active dialogue at official level with the Jordanian Government and with Jordanian NGOs about human rights matters.
	The UK also plays a leading role in multilateral fora to promote the human rights of women, and supports initiatives to eliminate violence against women. At the UN Commission on Human Rights in April 2001, together with EU partners, we stated that social, cultural or religious factors cannot be used as a justification for violating the human rights of women and girls.
	At the UN General Assembly in 2000, the UK co-sponsored and played a strong role in negotiating the passage of the first ever resolution on so called "honour crimes". The resolution was a significant step forward in raising awareness of this violent crime. It was adopted by a vote of 120 votes to zero, though 25 countries, including Jordan, abstained.
	The UK's main development programme supports a number of reforms in social policy and social protection in Jordan, including the rights of women.

Afghanistan

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs for what reason Her Majesty's Government did not recognise the Taliban regime in Afghanistan between May 1997 and August 2001.

Ben Bradshaw: HMG recognise states not governments or particular regimes. HMG recognise the State of Afghanistan. Like almost all other states in the world, the Government do not have normal government- to-government dealings with the Taliban.

Afghanistan

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on how many occasions between May 1997 and August 2001 he took advice on recognising the Taliban regime in Afghanistan.

Ben Bradshaw: HMG has a policy of recognising states not governments. The Government recognises the State of Afghanistan. The nature of our relationship with the Taliban regime, with which we do not have government-to-government dealings, has been kept under regular review.

Afghanistan

Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what estimates he has of the quantities of heroin exported worldwide from areas controlled by (a) the Taliban Government of Afghanistan and (b) the Northern Alliance of Afghanistan in each of the last four years; and if he will make a statement.

Ben Bradshaw: The size of Taliban and the Northern Alliance controlled areas has fluctuated in the last four years, making direct comparisons from year to year difficult. United Nations International Drug Control Programme (UNDCP) surveys indicate that Taliban controlled areas of Afghanistan produced 2,592 tonnes of opium in 1998, 4,510 tonnes in 1993, 3,139 tonnes in 2000 and 21 tonnes in 2001. Northern Alliance controlled areas produced 108 tonnes of opium in 1998, 140 tonnes in 1999, 131 tonnes in 2000 and 164 tonnes in 2001. Some of this was exported as opium, some as processed morphine and heroin. The proportion exported as heroin appears to have risen over the last four years but the data available, based largely on seizures in Afghanistan's immediate neighbouring countries, is insufficient to provide a detailed breakdown.
	An international inspection in April/May confirmed that opium poppy cultivation was effectively eliminated in Taliban controlled areas. Nevertheless, drug trafficking from those areas continued at a high level from stockpiles: the product of surplus product in previous years.

China

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Government of China about the fur trade in that country; and if he will make a statement.

Denis MacShane: It is for the Chinese Government to introduce and enforce domestic legislation to regulate the fur trade in China. We have raised concerns about animal welfare with the Chinese Government.

Diplomatic Recognition

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his policy is towards the recognition of (a) de jure and (b) de facto regimes; and to what extent that policy has changed since May 1997.

Ben Bradshaw: Since 1980, it has been HMG's policy to recognise states, not governments. As set out in Lord Carrington's statement of 23 May 1980 where a new regime comes to power, whether it qualifies to be treated as a government will be left to be inferred from the nature of the dealings, if any, which we may have with it and, in particular, on whether we are dealing with it on a normal government-to-government basis.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Stakeholder Pensions

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the (a) number and (b) proportion of stakeholder pensions taken up by the target group of employees on modest earnings.

Ian McCartney: We are undertaking a programme of dedicated research and analyses of administrative and statistical information as part of a wide-ranging evaluation of the impact of stakeholder pensions. Sufficient information on which to base a reasoned assessment is not yet available.

Ministerial Travel

Annabelle Ewing: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  if he will list all official overseas visits undertaken by Ministers in his Department in each year since May 1997, indicating (a) the cost in (i) cash and (ii) real terms, (b) the number and grade of (i) civil servants and (ii) special advisers accompanying Ministers and (c) the number of official engagements or meetings undertaken on each visit; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  on how many occasions in each year since 1992 non-commercial flights were used by Ministers in his Department for official overseas visits; what the (a) destination, (b) Ministers involved, (c) cost and (d) reason for use of non-commercial flights were on each occasion; and if he will make a statement.

Alistair Darling: I refer the hon. Member to the answer which the Prime Minister gave on 15 October 2001, Official Report, column 823W.

Claimant Identity Checks

James Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many local authorities have adopted the verification framework for checking claimants' identities.

Malcolm Wicks: Two hundred and sixty-three local authorities have applied for, or have received, extra funding to implement the verification framework. To date 236 of these authorities have achieved full compliance with the scheme.

Fraud and Error

Annabelle Ewing: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much money he estimates was lost through (a) administrative error and (b) benefit fraud in (i) the UK and (ii) Scotland in (A) each of the last five financial years and (B) the 2001–02 financial year to date.

Malcolm Wicks: Information is not available in the format requested.

Housing Benefit

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment has been made of the impact of removing the care element of the service charge for eligibility for housing benefit.

Malcolm Wicks: Housing Benefit is available to help people on low incomes meet the reasonable cost of their accommodation. It was never intended to help with service charges in respect of personal care. However, at present people who are liable to pay service charges for accommodation-related support may claim help through housing benefit. From April 2003, help with these charges will be funded through the "supporting people" programme.

Incapacity Benefit

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what plans he has to change the therapeutic earnings rule for people receiving Incapacity Benefit; and if he will make a statement.

Malcolm Wicks: From 8 April 2002 we are introducing new permitted work rules for people who want to try some paid work while they are getting Incapacity Benefit, Severe Disablement Allowance or Income Support because of illness or disability. The new arrangements will allow any person claiming benefit, based on incapacity, to try some paid work without the need for prior approval from a doctor.
	Any person will be able to work:
	(a) for less than 16 hours a week, on average, with earnings up to £66.00 a week for a 26 week period. The period can be extended for another 26 weeks if a person is working with a job broker, personal adviser or disability employment adviser who agrees that it will help towards work of more than 16 hours a week. There will be no limit to the number of times someone can do permitted work in this category during the currency of a claim, but there must be a gap of at least 52 weeks between periods; or
	(b) for earnings of up to £20.00 a week at any time.
	Someone who is already doing therapeutic work when the rules change can carry on doing it until April 2003. After that they can apply to do permitted work.
	There are special arrangements for those disabled people who work in the community with on-going support or supervision from a professional caseworker (employed or engaged by a public body or voluntary organisation). They will not be subject to time limits. This is intended to help those people whose disability means that their work capacity is limited to less than 16 hours a week, but is more than the few hours covered by the £20 per week option. These are people with conditions that cannot be cured but may be amenable to control/management by medication/therapy. This category will also include people who work in a sheltered workshop or as part of a hospital treatment programme.
	We have been consulting disability organisations on these proposals and will be laying regulations before the House at the end of the year.

EDUCATION AND SKILLS

Sixth-form College, Hackney

Brian Sedgemore: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will ensure that future discussions on the proposal to create a new sixth form college in Hackney will have due regard to (a) the interests of students and staff at the existing Hackney Community College and (b) the future funding of that college; and if she will make a statement.

Ivan Lewis: holding answer 15 October 2001
	Hackney Community College has taken an active role in developing plans for the new college and there have been consultations with a wide range of interested groups, including its staff and students. The Learning and Skills Council (LSC) is working closely with Hackney Community College to develop its plans for the future and I know the LSC has written to inform my hon. Friend that it has agreed funding to support Hackney Community College's plans for 2001–02.
	We are committed to developing two strong further education colleges in Hackney to create greater choice and opportunity for learners in the area.

Education Funding

Paddy Tipping: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will make it her policy to allocate per capita support to pupils on the basis of pupils' postcodes.

Stephen Timms: We are currently developing proposals for a new LEA and school funding system, which is to be introduced in 2003–04. As part of that work we will be considering ways in which data on pupils' postcodes might be used in the new formula, subject to accurate data being available.

Specialist Schools

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what proportion of pupils achieved five A* to C grades at GSCE in each type of specialist school in 2001.

Ivan Lewis: Information for mainstream, maintained specialist schools is shown in the following table.
	
		Percentage of pupils achieving 5 or more Grades A*-C GCSE/GNVQ in 2001
		
			 Specialism Percentage 
		
		
			 Arts 49 
			 Language 62 
			 Sport 47 
			 Technology 54 
			 All Specialist Schools 54

Special Educational Needs

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what proportion of (a) teachers in special schools and (b) special needs teachers in mainstream schools do not have special educational needs qualifications.

Stephen Timms: This information is not collected centrally.

Teacher Recruitment

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assessment she has made of the future recruitment of teachers in Gloucestershire; and if she will make a statement.

Stephen Timms: Local education authorities themselves are best placed to assess the future demand for teachers in their areas. Like other authorities, Gloucestershire will continue to benefit from the measures to promote teacher recruitment and retention that the Government have put in place. Between January 1997 and January 2001, the number of full-time equivalent regular teachers working in maintained schools in Gloucestershire rose by 270, from 4,410 to 4,680. During the same period, the number of full-time teacher vacancies in the county remained unchanged at 14.

Special Schools

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many special schools closed in (a) 1995, (b) 1996, (c) 1997, (d) 1998, (e) 1999, (f) 2000 and (g) 2001 to date.

Stephen Timms: The number of special schools that have closed each year since 1995 are:
	
		
			 Year Number of special schools closed 
		
		
			 1995 23 
			 1996 28 
			 1997 32 
			 1998 35 
			 1999 35 
			 2000 33 
			 2001 22 
			  
			 Total 208

Special Schools

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many special schools have closed in each local education authority since 1997.

Stephen Timms: The number of special schools that have closed in each local education authority since 1997 are:
	
		
			 Local education authority  
		
		
			 Barking and Dagenham 3 
			 Barnet 1 
			 Barnsley 3 
			 Bath and North East Somerset 0 
			 Bedfordshire 1 
			 Bexley 0 
			 Birmingham 5 
			 Blackburn with Darwen 2 
			 Blackpool 0 
			 Bolton 2 
			 Bournemouth 1 
			 Bracknell Forest 0 
			 Bradford 1 
			 Brent 0 
			 Brighton and Hove 0 
			 Bristol City of 1 
			 Bromley 0 
			 Buckinghamshire 2 
			 Bury 1 
			 Calderdale 0 
			 Cambridgeshire 1 
			 Camden 0 
			 Cheshire 2 
			 City of London 0 
			 Cornwall 0 
			 Coventry 0 
			 Croydon 0 
			 Cumbria 0 
			 Darlington 0 
			 Derby 0 
			 Derbyshire 3 
			 Devon 0 
			 Doncaster 0 
			 Dorset 0 
			 Dudley 0 
			 Durham 1 
			 Ealing 0 
			 East Riding of Yorkshire 0 
			 East Sussex 1 
			 Enfield 0 
			 Essex 7 
			 Gateshead 4 
			 Gloucestershire 5 
			 Greenwich 5 
			 Hackney 1 
			 Halton 0 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 0 
			 Hampshire 3 
			 Haringey 0 
			 Harrow 1 
			 Hartlepool 1 
			 Havering 0 
			 Herefordshire 0 
			 Hertfordshire 2 
			 Hillingdon 0 
			 Hounslow 0 
			 Isle of Wight 0 
			 Isles Of Scilly 0 
			 Islington 1 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 0 
			 Kent 5 
			 Kingston upon Hull City of 1 
			 Kingston upon Thames 0 
			 Kirklees 1 
			 Knowsley 0 
			 Lambeth 2 
			 Lancashire 1 
			 Leeds 4 
			 Leicester 1 
			 Leicestershire 0 
			 Lewisham 0 
			 Lincolnshire 0 
			 Liverpool 2 
			 Luton 0 
			 Manchester 4 
			 Medway 0 
			 Merton 1 
			 Middlesbrough 2 
			 Milton Keynes 0 
			 Newcastle upon Tyne 11 
			 Newham 0 
			 Norfolk 0 
			 North East Lincolnshire 0 
			 North Lincolnshire 0 
			 North Somerset 1 
			 North Tyneside 0 
			 North Yorkshire 0 
			 Northamptonshire 2 
			 Northumberland 1 
			 Nottingham 0 
			 Nottinghamshire 1 
			 Oldham 3 
			 Oxfordshire 0 
			 Peterborough 1 
			 Plymouth 0 
			 Poole 0 
			 Portsmouth 0 
			 Reading 0 
			 Redbridge 0 
			 Redcar and Cleveland 0 
			 Richmond upon Thames 0 
			 Rochdale 0 
			 Rotherham 0 
			 Rutland 0 
			 Salford 3 
			 Sandwell 10 
			 Sefton 0 
			 Sheffield 2 
			 Shropshire 0 
			 Slough 1 
			 Solihull 0 
			 Somerset 0 
			 South Gloucestershire 2 
			 South Tyneside 0 
			 Southampton 0 
			 Southend-on-Sea 0 
			 Southwark 0 
			 St. Helens 0 
			 Staffordshire 1 
			 Stockport 3 
			 Stockton-on-Tees 0 
			 Stoke-on-Trent 1 
			 Suffolk 1 
			 Sunderland 0 
			 Surrey 1 
			 Sutton 0 
			 Swindon 0 
			 Tameside 1 
			 Telford and Wrekin 2 
			 Thurrock 0 
			 Torbay 0 
			 Tower Hamlets 2 
			 Trafford 3 
			 Wakefield 4 
			 Walsall 1 
			 Waltham Forest 1 
			 Wandsworth 2 
			 Warrington 0 
			 Warwickshire 3 
			 West Berkshire 0 
			 West Sussex 0 
			 Westminster 0 
			 Wigan 5 
			 Wiltshire 1 
			 Windsor and Maidenhead 0 
			 Wirral 0 
			 Wokingham 0 
			 Wolverhampton 0 
			 Worcestershire 0 
			 York 0

Special Schools

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many vacancies there are in special schools by (a) local education authority and (b) constituency.

Stephen Timms: Information on vacancies by constituency is not held centrally. The numbers of vacancies in January 2001 for full-time teachers in special schools by local education authority are as follows:
	
		
			  Vacancies 
		
		
			 Darlington 0 
			 Hartlepool 0 
			 Middlesbrough 0 
			 Redcar and Cleveland 0 
			 Stockton on Tees 0 
			 Durham 0 
			 Northumberland 0 
			 Gateshead 1 
			 Newcastle upon Tyne 0 
			 North Tyneside 0 
			 South Tyneside 0 
			 Sunderland 0 
			 Blackburn with Darwen 0 
			 Blackpool 0 
			 Halton 0 
			 Warrington 1 
			 Cheshire 2 
			 Cumbria 0 
			 Bolton 0 
			 Bury 0 
			 Manchester 0 
			 Oldham 1 
			 Rochdale 0 
			 Salford 0 
			 Stockport 1 
			 Tameside 0 
			 Trafford 0 
			 Wigan 1 
			 Lancashire 4 
			 Knowsley 1 
			 Liverpool 0 
			 St. Helens 0 
			 Sefton 4 
			 Wirral 4 
			 East Riding of Yorkshire 0 
			 City of Kingston Upon Hull 0 
			 North East Lincolnshire 0 
			 North Lincolnshire 0 
			 York 1 
			 North Yorkshire 1 
			 Barnsley 0 
			 Doncaster 1 
			 Rotherham 0 
			 Sheffield 0 
			 Bradford 0 
			 Calderdale 0 
			 Kirklees 0 
			 Leeds 1 
			 Wakefield 3 
			 Derby 0 
			 Leicester 6 
			 Nottingham 5 
			 Rutland 0 
			 Derbyshire 2 
			 Leicestershire 0 
			 Lincolnshire 2 
			 Northamptonshire 4 
			 Nottinghamshire 0 
			 Herefordshire 0 
			 Stoke on Trent 2 
			 Telford and Wrekin 0 
			 Shropshire 0 
			 Staffordshire 3 
			 Warwickshire 3 
			 Birmingham 2 
			 Coventry 0 
			 Dudley 2 
			 Sandwell 6 
			 Solihull 2 
			 Walsall 0 
			 Wolverhampton 3 
			 Worcestershire 2 
			 Luton 0 
			 Peterborough 0 
			 Southend on Sea 0 
			 Thurrock 1 
			 Bedfordshire 5 
			 Cambridgeshire 0 
			 Essex 5 
			 Hertfordshire 5 
			 Norfolk 4 
			 Suffolk 1 
			 Camden 2 
			 City of London 0 
			 Hackney 5 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 6 
			 Haringey 2 
			 Islington 5 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 1 
			 Lambeth 6 
			 Lewisham 3 
			 Newham 2 
			 Southwark 5 
			 Tower Hamlets 6 
			 Wandsworth 6 
			 City of Westminster 2 
			 Barking and Dagenham 1 
			 Barnet 4 
			 Bexley 3 
			 Brent 0 
			 Bromley 2 
			 Croydon 2 
			 Ealing 0 
			 Enfield 3 
			 Greenwich 2 
			 Harrow 2 
			 Havering 0 
			 Hillingdon 6 
			 Hounslow 0 
			 Kingston upon Thames 2 
			 Merton 5 
			 Redbridge 0 
			 Richmond upon Thames 3 
			 Sutton 0 
			 Waltham Forest 0 
			 Bracknell Forest 1 
			 Brighton and Hove 2 
			 Isle of Wight 0 
			 Medway 5 
			 Milton Keynes 2 
			 Portsmouth 3 
			 Reading 4 
			 Slough 3 
			 Southampton 1 
			 West Berkshire 1 
			 Windsor and Maidenhead 4 
			 Wokingham 3 
			 Buckinghamshire 5 
			 East Sussex 1 
			 Hampshire 8 
			 Kent 23 
			 Oxfordshire 0 
			 Surrey 17 
			 West Sussex 6 
			 Bath and North East Somerset 1 
			 Bournemouth 0 
			 City of Bristol 0 
			 North Somerset 0 
			 Plymouth 0 
			 Poole 2 
			 South Gloucestershire 0 
			 Swindon 2 
			 Torbay 1 
			 Cornwall 0 
			 Isles of Scilly 0 
			 Devon 2 
			 Dorset 2 
			 Gloucestershire 3 
			 Somerset 0 
			 Wiltshire 0 
			   
			 England 280

Special Schools

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many special schools have closed in each parliamentary constituency since 1997.

Stephen Timms: The numbers of special schools that have closed in each parliamentary constituency since 1997 are contained in tables, copies of which have been placed in the Library.

Teacher Vacancies

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many schools have approached the Government with difficulties over filling teacher vacancies (a) this year and (b) since July.

Stephen Timms: We do not keep detailed records on this, but the number of schools would be very small. Schools are advised to discuss any serious vacancy-filling difficulties with their local education authority, who will offer them all the help they can.

Teacher Vacancies

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the total cost was of the support given by the Government in the last year to schools which had difficulties with teacher vacancies.

Stephen Timms: Information on what proportion of their recurrent funding individual schools decide to spend on teacher recruitment and retention is not collected centrally. Average funding per pupil now stands as £3,250, £540 higher in real terms than in 1997–98.
	A small proportion of Government funding (for example, through the Teacher Retention and Recruitment Fund) is targeted at local authorities with high teacher vacancy rates.

GCSE

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what proportion of pupils achieved five A* to C grades at GCSE in (a) specialist schools and (b) community schools in 2001.

Ivan Lewis: The proportions of pupils achieving five or more A* to C grades at GCSE/GNVQ in maintained (a) specialist schools and (b) community schools in 2001 were 54 per cent. and 44 per cent. respectively.

Schools (Correspondence)

Phil Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many individual items of (a) information, (b) guidance, (c) requests for information and (d) other correspondence have been issued to (i) local education authorities, (ii) secondary schools, (iii) primary schools and (iv) special schools in England since the commencement of the autumn term.

Stephen Timms: The number of items sent to schools and local authorities is shown in the table.
	
		Items in DfES mailings since the start of the autumn term 2001
		
			  Recipient of mailing  
			  LEA Primary school Secondary school Special school 
		
		
			 Purpose of mailing 
			 Information 17 13 11 11 
			 Guidance 9 5 5 4 
			 Request for information 5 4 4 4 
			 Other(6) 6 3 3 3 
			  
			 Total this school year 37 25 23 22 
		
	
	(6) Under this category are the full text and summary of the White Paper Schools—Achieving Success, and a letter from the Secretary of State following the events of 11 September.

Standards Fund

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what plans she has to simplify the procedure for schools to apply for Standards Fund money; and if she will make a statement.

Stephen Timms: Standards Fund grant is allocated and paid to local education authorities who must devolve around 75 per cent. of the grant to their schools to spend according to their own needs and priorities. It is for authorities and schools to agree the particular arrangements for allocating the grant to schools. Almost all Standards Fund grants are allocated to LEAs on a formula basis and the Government expect LEAs to devolve grants to schools by a fair formula, in which case schools should not have to apply for grant.
	We have already simplified the operation of the Standards Fund for 2001–02. Schools have more freedom to determine spending priorities—they will be free to move money between most of their allocations. Schools have a full 17 months from 1 April 2001 to 31 August 2002 to spend their allocation. This will mean an end to the rush to spend grant by the end of the financial year. Separate auditing of the Standards Fund is no longer required. The Standards Fund will be audited as part of the overall arrangements for local education authority and school expenditure, reducing the need for detailed separate accounting records for each Standards Fund grant.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Sexual Abuse

Tim Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to improve the protection of people with learning difficulties from sexual abuse.

Keith Bradley: When the Government set up the Sex Offences Review in January 1999 its terms of reference included
	"to provide coherent clear sex offences which protect individuals, especially children and the more vulnerable, from abuse and exploitation".
	The recommendations of the Sex Offences Review to Government on reforming the law on sex offences were published in 'Setting the Boundaries' in July 2000. We are considering how to change all the sex offences in the light of over 700 responses to that consultation document including how to deal with sex offences against those with learning disabilities.

Homophobic Crime

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish the number of homophobic hate crimes there have been for 1999 and 2000 and the number of such crimes for those years broken down by (a) police force and (b) individual London boroughs.

John Denham: This information is not collected centrally.

Asylum Seekers

Iain Coleman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many of the asylum seekers the National Asylum Support System has housed since 3 April 2000 under section 95 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999, have been offered (a) accommodation in the dispersal areas and (b) accommodation in London and the south east on the grounds that there are exceptional circumstances for their households not to be dispersed; how many disbenefited asylum seekers (i) the National Asylum Support System has agreed can be provided with accommodation in London and the south east on the grounds that their children have been educated in the same school for 12 months or more and (ii) have been offered accommodation in the dispersal areas.

Angela Eagle: As at the end of July 2001 the National Asylum Support Service (NASS) was supporting 27,740 1 asylum seekers in its accommodation outside of the London and south central regions and 1,070 1 in its accommodation in the London and South Central regions. It is the policy of NASS to offer accommodation in London only when there are exceptional reasons, such as medical reasons, to do so. NASS disperses asylum seekers to locations in the United Kingdom on a "no-choice" basis to relieve the burden on London and the south east; Brighton and Hove, Hastings and St. Leonards, Portsmouth and Southampton are the only four cluster areas used within the south central and east region.
	Of those asylum seekers being supported in NASS accommodation in the London and south central regions, 240 1 were disbenefited cases. Of those being supported in NASS accommodation outside the London and south central regions, 20 1 were disbenefited cases. There is no available figure for the number of disbenefited cases offered accommodation in the London and south central regions specifically because their children had been educated in the same school for 12 months or more. Also, some of those disbenefited cases who were being supported in NASS accommodation outside the London and south central regions may have already been there when they became disbenefited rather than having been dispersed subsequently.
	1 Figures include dependants and are rounded to the nearest 10.

Asylum Seekers

Iain Coleman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many disbenefited asylum seeker households are awaiting a decision on their application to the National Asylum Support System.

Angela Eagle: The information requested is not available.

Asylum Seekers

Louise Ellman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent representations he has received concerning management and support services for asylum seekers at the Landmark and Inn on the Park in Everton, Liverpool.

Angela Eagle: Home Office Ministers have received a number of letters from my hon. Friend in recent months on issues relating to the Landmark and Inn on the Park. Representations have also been received from Liverpool City Council and the police.
	Ministers have held meetings on the subject with local MPs and full consideration has been given to the issues raised.

Asylum Seekers

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many asylum seekers awaiting adjudication there are in Wales.

Angela Eagle: The available information comes from the National Asylum Support Service (NASS) who began supporting and dispersing asylum seekers who applied for asylum on or after 3 April 2000. Statistics from NASS, for the end of July 2001, show that for asylum seekers located in Wales 370 1 asylum seekers (including dependants) were being supported in NASS accommodation and 110 1 asylum seekers (including dependants) were being supported with vouchers only.
	Information on how many of these cases were awaiting adjudication is unavailable and could be obtained only by examining individual case files at disproportionate cost.
	Information is not currently available centrally on the location of asylum seekers that either do not apply for NASS support or who were receiving Department of Social Security (DSS) or local authority support before NASS began.
	1 Figures rounded to the nearest 10.

Asylum Seekers

Mark Field: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when his Department assessed the backlog of asylum applications as being in excess of 40,000.

Angela Eagle: The Immigration and Nationality Directorate completed a physical count of the asylum applications backlog on 4 September. Checks were then carried out to ensure that the count was correct but the announcement scheduled for 12 September was postponed following the terrorist attack in the United States.

Asylum Seekers

Oona King: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what measures he is taking to ensure that staff at the National Asylum Support Service understand the particular needs of asylum seekers with HIV and other long-term illnesses.

Angela Eagle: Asylum seekers have the same rights to national health service (NHS) treatment as any other person who is ordinarily resident in the United Kingdom.
	Voluntary sector reception assistants who assist asylum seekers with the completion of the National Asylum Support Service (NASS) application for support are trained to ask asylum seekers for details of any medical treatment or counselling they or their dependants may be receiving that would affect the type and/or location of accommodation allocated to them.
	NASS caseworkers are aware that all relevant factors must be taken into account when deciding whether or where to disperse. This will include any information relating to medical or health needs. Caseworkers are always alert to any exceptional circumstances in individual cases, which might make it appropriate to depart from the general guidelines when accommodation is being allocated.

Asylum Seekers

Oona King: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what measures he has taken to ensure that the National Asylum Support Service disperses asylum seekers with HIV to areas where appropriate support is available to them.

Angela Eagle: Asylum seekers have the same rights to national health service (NHS) treatment as any other person who is ordinarily resident in the United Kingdom.
	Applicants may choose to notify National Asylum Support Service (NASS) that either they or their children are HIV positive and require specialist treatment. It is entirely a matter for the individual to decide whether or not to provide information about their health needs. Where health needs are stated on the NASS application form, and the individual gives his/her consent to that information being shared with the NHS, NASS will notify the receiving local health authority accordingly. Services for people with HIV are available on an open access basis for HIV testing and counselling, with onward referral to more specialised treatment as appropriate for those testing positive.
	The Department of Health has advised that HIV support services are available in various dispersal areas and this is taken into account when accommodation is being allocated.

Animal Research

Phyllis Starkey: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the Government's response to the recommendations of the Animal Procedures Committee report on public access to information about the use of animals in research.

Angela Eagle: I welcome the Animal Procedures Committee's report on openness, which was published on 22 August 2001, and I am grateful to the Animal Procedures Committee for the time and thought that it has given to its recommendations.
	The Government's response to its detailed recommendations is as follows.
	The Committee's recommendations regarding the relaxation of section 24 of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 and the publication of plain English summaries of programmes of work licensed under the Act have been noted and will be taken into account in the current review of section 24.
	It is already Home Office policy to encourage publication of research findings, but we cannot require it. However, we agree that we must do everything possible to ensure that there is no unnecessary duplication of animal use in scientific procedures and will examine possible mechanisms for publishing negative results, consulting the scientific community and others as necessary.
	We agree in principle that anonymised information regarding infringements should be published and will consider how this might best be achieved.
	The content and format of the annual statistics is kept under review in line with the requirements of the Office for National Statistics (ONS). The statistics for the year 2000, published in July 2001, included an invitation to readers to submit comments and will be followed by wider consultation with the scientific community, who provide the data, and with other interested parties.
	Summary information regarding the performance of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Inspectorate, together with licensing information, is published as part of the annual statistics report and in the Home Office Annual Report. Scientific and the laboratory animal science and welfare literature and the Home Office websites also contain material produced by the Inspectorate.
	We regularly encourage the scientific community to present its work more effectively to the public. The extent to which they do so is, however, a matter for the relevant organisations and establishments to decide.
	It is intended that the advice provided to Ministers by quality assurance panels appointed in connection with special investigations by the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Inspectorate will be published.
	We agree that interaction between the Animal Procedures Committee and other similar committees will be helpful and look forward to seeing more detailed proposals in the Committee's work programme.

Animal Research

Phyllis Starkey: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what consultation the Government have undertaken to ensure that increased public access to information about the use of animals in research does not increase harassment of scientists and institutions involved in animal research.

Angela Eagle: Section 24 of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 prevents the disclosure by Home Office Ministers and officials of information about the use of animals in scientific procedures that has been provided in confidence. Following the enactment of the Freedom of Information Act 2000, all statutory bars to the disclosure of information are being reviewed, including section 24 of the 1986 Act.
	My predecessor, the hon. Member for North Warwickshire (Mr. O'Brien) held a seminar with representatives of animal protection groups and the scientific community in September 2000 to discuss the review of section 24 and he and officials subsequently held a series of separate meetings with some of the organisations that participated in the seminar. Views have also been received from the Animal Procedures Committee on this subject and from respondents to the consultation document on animal rights extremism published in March 2001.
	The Government have a clear commitment to freedom of information and are equally committed to the maintenance of necessary protections for individual scientists and their research institutions. I am considering very carefully how these commitments can best be met. A decision on whether to appeal or amend section 24 will not be made until later this year.

Illegal Drugs

Joan Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what has been the result of efforts to reduce the proportion of people aged under 25 misusing illegal drugs in (a) the last month and (b) the last three years.

Bob Ainsworth: The British Crime Survey provides data on the levels of self-reported drug use among a representative sample of the general population in England and Wales. The survey of smoking, drinking and drug use among school children provides equivalent data for those aged 11 to 15 years.
	Table 1 provides the relevant data for 1998 and 2000 for those aged 16 to 24 years.
	Table 2 provides the equivalent data for 11 to 15-year-olds.
	
		Table 1: Percentages of respondents aged 16 to 24 years reporting use of illegal drugs in the last year and last month, in England and Wales
		
			  1998 2000 
		
		
			 Last year 29 29 
			 Last month 19 18 
		
	
	Bases: 1998 = 1,296; 2000 = 1,517
	Source:
	Drug Misuse Declare in 2000: results from the British Crime Survey, Home Office Research Study 224
	
		Table 2: Percentages of school children aged 11 to 15 years reporting use of illegal drugs in the last year and last month, in England
		
			  Last year Last month 
		
		
			 1998 11 7 
			 1999 12 7 
			 2000 14 9 
		
	
	Bases: 1998 = 4,647; 1999 = 9,053; 2000 = 6,855
	Source:
	Department of Health Statistical Press Notice, July 2001. Smoking, drinking and drug use among young people in England in 2000

Suspicious Activity Reports

Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many reports of suspicious activity were received by the National Criminal Intelligence Service in the most recent year for which data is available from (a) corporate service providers, (b) foreign exchange bureaux, (c) banks, (d) solicitors, (e) accountants and (f) other organisations.

Bob Ainsworth: In 2000, the Economic Crime Unit of the National Criminal Intelligence Service received 18,408 suspicious financial transaction reports, as follows:
	(a) corporate service providers (including building societies, insurance companies, mortgage companies, independent financial advisers, credit card companies, and the securities and equities market): 2,766
	(b) foreign exchange bureaux (including bureaux de change and money transmission agencies): 2,801
	(c) banks: 11,532
	(d) solicitors: 248
	(e) accountants: 77
	(f) other organisations: (including the gambling industry, motor organisations, regulators, asset management companies, auction houses, cheque cashier services, company formation agents, and estate agents): 984.

Travellers

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on his powers to deal with travellers.

John Denham: holding answer 18 October 2001
	The police have powers under the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 to direct travellers or other trespassers to leave land when the appropriate statutory requirements are met. These are discretionary powers and it is the operational responsibility of the chief officer of the force concerned to decide when and how to enforce these powers. The effectiveness of this legislation is kept under regular review.
	Research has been conducted to review the effectiveness of the current Department of Transport, Local Government and the Regions (DTLR)/Home Office Good Practice Guidance on Managing Unauthorised Camping. This will be published shortly.

Speed Cameras

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  what policy guidance he has issued on the use of speed cameras to reduce speed on roads that do not present a specific problem nor have a record of traffic accidents;
	(2)  what advice his Department has given to police authorities regarding the use of mobile speed cameras to reduce traffic speed with particular reference to their location.

John Denham: holding answer 18 October 2001
	The guidance on the use of speed cameras, set out in Home Office Circular 38/1992, is that they should be located where there is a known history of accidents and where excessive speed is a major contributory factor. The primary objective is to reduce accidents and increase road safety.
	Following the announcement in August of the national roll-out of the netting-off scheme for speed camera funding, the Government are working with the police and local authorities to strengthen this guidance. Under the netting-off scheme cameras may be placed only where there is a history of speed-related injuries or at accident hotspots. Their use must be monitored to ensure that they help to reduce accidents. Those that do not will have to be moved to a more appropriate location or removed altogether.
	Our aim in strengthening the guidance is to ensure that, as far as possible, one set of rules applies to all speed cameras, whether or not part of the netting-off scheme and this includes mobile speed cameras. Mobile cameras are not covered by the existing guidance, but we want to ensure that, in future, the use of these cameras is guided by similar principles to those that apply to fixed cameras to reduce accidents. Fixed site cameras will have to be highly visible, and so will officers using mobile cameras. All areas where cameras, whether fixed or mobile are in use will have to be clearly signed, and the deployment of cameras will have to be well publicised locally.

Speed Cameras

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much money was collected (a) nationally and (b) in Essex from (i) static and (ii) mobile speed cameras in (A) 1998–99, (B) 1999–2000 and (c) 2000–01.

John Denham: holding answer 18 October 2001
	Information collected centrally does not identify the type of cameras used. Available data, by calendar year, are given in the table. Figures for 2000 will be available towards the end of the year.
	Under the netting-off scheme for camera funding piloted in Essex and seven other areas, income from fines is used to meet the camera costs.
	
		Fixed penalty and court proceeding data for offences of speeding detected by cameras(7),(8) for the Essex police force area and England and Wales, 1998 and 1999
		
			   Fixed penalties  Court Proceedings  
			  Number of tickets(9) Estimated revenue(10) (£) Number of fines Total amount of fine (£) Average fine (£) 
		
		
			 England and Wales  
			 1998 338,800 13,552,000 25,500 2,928,300 115 
			 1999 423,000 16,920,000 32,300 3,434,400 106 
			   
			  Essex police force area   
			 1998 8,665 346,600 1,702 227,400 134 
			 1999 19,785 791,360 2,121 357,400 169 
		
	
	(7) Automatic cameras until 1998, all camera types for 1999
	(8) Offences under the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 and Motor Vehicles (Speed Limits on Motorways) Regulations 1973
	(9) Paid ie no further action
	(10) 'Estimate' based on £40 fixed penalty charge from 1995 to 1999

Religious Discrimination

Phil Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to introduce legislation to outlaw discrimination on the basis of religion and faith; and if he will make a statement.

Angela Eagle: holding answer 18 October 2001
	The Government are tackling religious discrimination in a number of ways.
	I have recently introduced proposals to widen the law to make incitement to religious, as well as racial hatred, a criminal offence, as part of the Government's measured response to tackle terrorism and those who exploit fears it raises.
	The Government are committed to implementing the Article 13 EC Employment Directive outlawing discrimination in employment and training on grounds that include religion by 2 December 2003. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry will consult widely later in the autumn on proposals for implementation.
	The Census Act 1921 was amended to include a question on religious identity in this year's census. This will provide central and local government with reliable data on our faith communities, which will help inform the planning and delivery of services sensitive to the needs of faith communities.
	The Human Rights Act 1998 also provides protection against religious discrimination.
	But legislation alone is not enough, as research participants recognised. They favoured a comprehensive approach in which education, training and a greater effort to teach more in schools about the diversity of faith would all play an important part. We are looking at how best to do this.

Police Stations (Essex)

John Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police stations in Essex have (a) closed and (b) restricted their opening hours in each year since 1997.

John Denham: The information is set out in the table.
	
		
			  1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 
		
		
			 Reduced hours 5 0 5 0 5 
			 Closed 0 1 41 16 4 
			 Increased hours 0 0 0 3 0 
			 Opened/acquired 0 0 1 4 0 
		
	
	Figures for 1999 and 2000 include the closure of detached beat offices in rural areas that were sold as a result of the force's rural review. These were houses with a police office attached (one room dedicated as a police office or front counter) staffed by one officer when on duty. Proceeds of sales are being invested in rural police station facilities.

Police Numbers

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  what the (a) establishment and (b) recommended number of police officers is; and how many vacancies exist for police officers in England;
	(2)  what the (a) establishment and (b) recommended number of police officers is for each police force in the South-East and South-West regions; and how many vacancies exist for police officers in each region.

John Denham: holding answer 15 October 2001
	The Government do not set recommended levels of strength on a force by force basis. It is for individual chief officers of police to determine their staffing levels. We expect numbers of officers in England and Wales to reach record levels by 2003.